Fábrica de Sidra El Gaitero

About the museum

El Gaitero cider was launched by the company Valle, Ballina y Fernández, set up on 24 May 1890 in Villaviciosa. Two years earlier the brothers Alberto and Eladio del Valle, with the financial backing of Bernardo de la Ballina and Ángel Fernández, had acquired the machinery for making sparkling cider. Its origins are linked to maritime trade from the port of Gijón and to Asturian emigration to America.

At the end of the 19th century Obdulio Fernández Pando bought the land of La Espuncia, beside the ría, and in 1900 production was centralised there. In 1915 a bottle factory was built, which stopped working years later; its chimney is preserved as a symbol of the company. In the 1950s José Cardín Fernández modernised the facilities and built a cellar with metal tanks, and in the 1960s visits to La Espuncia began to be organised, a pioneering step in the sector. The Fundación José Cardín Fernández was set up in 2000 to conserve this heritage and promote the culture of cider and the apple.

The visit goes through the historic cellars, with large casks, the press room, the bottling line and the tasting room, and ends in the permanent collection, housed on three floors of the company’s former headquarters from 1890. It brings together manuscripts, printed material, machinery, photographs, advertising originals and products, as well as an audiovisual room with images from the film “Bellezas de Asturias” (1919–1920), which documents the cellars of La Espuncia.

Highlights

• Central cellar with around 200 casks spread over three floors
• Permanent collection in the 1890 headquarters, across three floors
• Press room and bottling line
• Cider tasting included in the visit
• Excerpts from the film “Bellezas de Asturias” (1919–1920)

Permanent exhibition

• Colección permanente de El Gaitero – Collection over three floors of the company’s former headquarters (1890), with manuscripts, printed material, machinery, photographs, advertising originals and products, and an audiovisual room on the company’s history.

Founded

1890

Operated by

Valle, Ballina y Fernández, S.A.

Admission & discounts

Admission €5 per person; the visit includes a cider tasting.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The visit is wheelchair accessible. The route is on foot and includes outdoor areas, so rain clothing is recommended on wet days.

Kids & families

Children under 14 accompanied by an adult enter free.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Winery shop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit